Galatians 5
Tree of Life Version
Freedom Based on Favor
5 For freedom, Messiah set us free—so stand firm, and do not be burdened by a yoke of slavery again. 2 Listen—I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Messiah will be of no benefit to you. 3 Again I testify to every man who lets himself be circumcised, that he is obligated to keep the whole Torah. 4 You who are trying to be justified by Torah[a] have been cut off from Messiah; you have fallen away from grace. 5 For through the Ruach, by faith, we eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness. 6 For in Messiah Yeshua, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any meaning—but only trust and faithfulness expressing itself through love.
7 You were running a great race! Who blocked you from following the truth? 8 This detour doesn’t come from the One who calls you. 9 A little hametz works its way through the whole batch of dough! 10 I am confident in the Lord that you will not think otherwise. But the one who is confusing you will pay the penalty, whoever he is. 11 As for me, brothers and sisters, if I still proclaim circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case, the stumbling block of the cross has been eliminated. 12 I only wish those who are agitating you would castrate themselves![b]
Walking by the Ruach
13 Brothers and sisters, you were called to freedom—only do not let your freedom become an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 14 For the whole Torah can be summed up in a single saying: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” [c] 15 But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not destroyed by one another.
16 But I say, walk by the Ruach, and you will not carry out the desires of the flesh. 17 For the flesh sets its desire against the Ruach, but the Ruach sets its desire against the flesh—for these are in opposition to one another, so that you cannot do what you want. 18 But if you are led by the Ruach, you are not under law. 19 Now the deeds of the flesh are clear: sexual immorality, impurity, indecency, 20 idolatry, witchcraft, hostility, strife, jealousy, rage, selfish ambition, dissension, factions, 21 envy, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these. I am warning you, just as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit God’s kingdom. 22 But the fruit of the Ruach is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control—against such things there is no law. 24 Now those who belong to Messiah[d] have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
25 If we live by the Ruach, let us also walk by the Ruach. 26 Let us not become conceited—provoking one another, envying one another.
Footnotes
- Galatians 5:4 Or made right by Torah.
- Galatians 5:12 cf. Phil. 3:2.
- Galatians 5:15 Lev. 19:18.
- Galatians 5:24 Some mss. add Yeshua.
Galatians 5
New King James Version
Christian Liberty
5 (A)Stand[a] fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a (B)yoke of bondage. 2 Indeed I, Paul, say to you that (C)if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing. 3 And I testify again to every man who becomes circumcised (D)that he is [b]a debtor to keep the whole law. 4 (E)You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; (F)you have fallen from grace. 5 For we through the Spirit eagerly (G)wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. 6 For (H)in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but (I)faith working through love.
Love Fulfills the Law
7 You (J)ran well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? 8 This persuasion does not come from Him who calls you. 9 (K)A little leaven leavens the whole lump. 10 I have confidence in you, in the Lord, that you will have no other mind; but he who troubles you shall bear his judgment, whoever he is.
11 And I, brethren, if I still preach circumcision, (L)why do I still suffer persecution? Then (M)the offense of the cross has ceased. 12 (N)I could wish that those (O)who trouble you would even [c]cut themselves off!
13 For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only (P)do not use liberty as an (Q)opportunity for the flesh, but (R)through love serve one another. 14 For (S)all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: (T)“You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another!
Walking in the Spirit
16 I say then: (U)Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17 For (V)the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, (W)so that you do not do the things that you wish. 18 But (X)if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
19 Now (Y)the works of the flesh are evident, which are: [d]adultery, [e]fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, [f]murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that (Z)those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
22 But (AA)the fruit of the Spirit is (AB)love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, (AC)goodness, (AD)faithfulness, 23 [g]gentleness, self-control. (AE)Against such there is no law. 24 And those who are Christ’s (AF)have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 (AG)If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 26 (AH)Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.
Footnotes
- Galatians 5:1 NU For freedom Christ has made us free; stand fast therefore, and
- Galatians 5:3 obligated
- Galatians 5:12 mutilate themselves
- Galatians 5:19 NU omits adultery
- Galatians 5:19 sexual immorality
- Galatians 5:21 NU omits murders
- Galatians 5:23 meekness
Tree of Life (TLV) Translation of the Bible. Copyright © 2015 by The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
